Crape myrtle plant named &#39;whit vi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of crapemyrtle,  Lagerstroemia indica,  which is characterized by a dense, upright growth habit; leathery leaves which emerge crimson and change to dark green; low seed production (plant is semi-sterile); inflorescences which are 4 to 14 inches tall and 4 to 12 inches wide; flower buds which are green to crimson; and flowers which are white with transition to light crimson. The new variety is also characterized by a long bloom period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety orcultivar of the ornamental shrub, Lagerstroemia indica, commonly knownas crapemyrtle.

[0002] The crapemyrtle shrub is native to eastern China and wasintroduced into North America in the late 1700's. Since then, thispopular ornamental shrub has been grown extensively across the southernhalf of the continent. Over the years, seedlings of Lagerstroemia indicaor hybrids between L. indica and L. fauriei have been selected forvarious growth forms, flower colors, or other features and propagatedasexually. An assortment of methods has been utilized in attempting todevelop improved varieties of crapemyrtle and several have had U.S.Plant Patents issued.

[0003] For example, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,182, U.S. Plant Pat. No.4,183, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,184, and U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,185 discloseand claim a series of four new varieties of Lagerstroemia indicaproduced by crossing previously known varieties. Each of these varietieswas characterized as having a weeping growth habit at maturity. U.S.Plant Pat. No. 5,302 also discloses a new variety of crapemyrtleexhibiting a weeping growth habit at maturity.

[0004] U.S. Plant Pat. Nos. 6,365 and 6,383 disclose varieties ofcrapemyrtle derived from seedlings treated with a mutation-inducingchemical. U.S. Plant Pat. Nos. 10,296 and 10,297 and 10,319 and 11,312and 11,342 also disclose new varieties of crapemyrtle derived fromseedlings where one or more of the parents were treated with amutation-inducing chemical.

[0005] It is generally known that ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS), sodiumazide, and coichicine are capable of producing plant mutations. Sinceone or more of the grandparents of the new variety of crapemyrtle weretreated with these compounds, the present invention may be such amutant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The present invention involves the discovery of a new anddistinct variety of crapemyrtle, Lagerstroemia indica, which has beengiven the cultivar name ‘Whit VI’ and is characterized by a vigorous,broad, upright growing, large shrub or small tree with moderatebranching that may reach a height of 10 to 15 feet at maturity. Leavesof the plant emerge crimson and slowly change to dark green with agewith mid-veins and backs retaining some crimson color when leaves are infull sun. Mature leaves are larger and more leathery than is typical ofthe species. Twigs of current season's growth are distinctly crimsonunless shaded by other leaves or branches. Inflorescences are 4 to 14inches tall and 4 to 12 inches wide. Flower buds are green when shadedbut light crimson on any parts exposed to full sun, with the margins ofthe bud scales crimson. Individual petals are pure white, except at thebase, which is distinctly, light crimson. Flowers that open during verycool weather in late fall are slightly pinkish throughout. Stamens areprominent and bright yellow. Old flowers fall from the inflorescencewith little discoloration. Flowering generally begins in July in NorthCentral Oklahoma and flowering continues until frost. Seed headproduction is light during July and August and heavier during Septemberand October.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a photographic view in full color of the growth andflowing of my new crapemyrtle plant in a 3-gallon container.

[0008]FIG. 2 is a photographic view in full color of white flowers withyellow stamens and variable green flower buds with crimson lines alongthe margins of the bud scales of the plant in FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 3 is a photographic view in full color of an individualflower with white petal blades and light crimson basal portions andyellow stamens, and a green and crimson flower bud showing crimson linesalong the margins of the bud scales of the plant in FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 4 is a photographic view in full color of crimson newfoliage, crimson stems and dark green mature foliage of the plant inFIG. 1.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0011] The new variety of crapemyrtle, which has been, given thecultivar name ‘Whit VI’, was selected from about 2,600 seedlings grownfrom a 7^(th) generation original seedling plant from when this researchbegan in 1986. The parent seedling selected because of the uprightgrowth, exceptional vigor and prolific lavender flowers that producedmany seed pods and viable seeds. The female parent plant grew from seedsthat had been treated with a combination of EMS, sodium azide, andcolchicine. No attempt was made to control pollination; therefore thepollen could have come from any of the surrounding crapemyrtle seedlingsthat had also been treated. Seeds were planted in flats. After the seedsgerminated, seedlings were transplanted into small containers and mildewwas introduced. Seedlings susceptible to mildew or with poor vigor wererouged out. The remainder of the seedlings were planted in rows in anopen field for further evaluation.

[0012] The new variety was one of 31 seedlings from the population ofapprox. 2,600 seedlings from this original seedling plant that producedwhite flowers. The new variety was selected for the crimson new foliage,profusion of flowers in panicles that appear pure white from a distance,dense, upright growth, leathery foliage, and resistance to powderymildew and resilience following early fall freezes. It may be a mutantseedling arising from the chemical treatment of the female parentseedling.

[0013] Softwood cuttings taken from the original parent have beensuccessfully rooted in a medium of peat and perlite under intermittentmist. Subsequent cuttings from plants resulting from previous cuttingshave been similarly rooted. Growth, flowering, and flower and foliagecolor remain consistent with the parent. The plant does produce seedsbut viability is low and seedlings are unlike the parent. Asexualreproduction of the new plant by cuttings taken in Stillwater, Okla.,has shown that the unique features of this new crapemyrtle are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

[0014] A detailed description of the new variety of crapemyrtle follows:

[0015] Parentage: Selected from over 150,000 crapemyrtle seedlings grownfrom a selected seedling parent through seven generations. Seedresulting in the immediate female plant had been treated with acombination of EMS, sodium azide, and colchicine known to inducemutations. The male parent is not specifically known as pollinationresulted from natural insect activity among hundreds of seedlingsadjacent to the female plant. The new variety was one of 31 seedlingsfrom among the population of approximately 2,600 seedlings that producedwhite flowers. The thick, leathery leaves and partial sterility aresuggestions that this may be a mutant seedling.

[0016] Growth: The plant is a vigorous, bushy, upright grower whenyoung. The selected plant reached a height of 4.5 feet one year after acutting was taken from the parent. Mature height may be 10 to 15 feet.Vegetative growth is rapid in spring and continues until summer whenflowering begins. Only modest growth occurs after the onset offlowering. Unlike most crapemyrtle varieties, which produce manyvertical stems creating a dense shrub, this new crapemyrtle typicallyproduces 3 to 5 vertical stems with moderate side branches, creating adense but upright form.

[0017] Branches: Current season's stems, exposed to direct light arecrimson, greyed-purple group 187-A and CIE 0.410, 0.298, 3.4 (colornotations from the Royal Horticulture Society colour chart, 1966 and theComission International de l'Eclairage, 1931).

[0018] Bark: Bark is typical of L. indica species and is exfoliating.

[0019] Foliage: New leaves in the spring emerge crimson, greyed-purplegroup 187-A and CIE 0.410, 0.298, 3.4 and remain so for several weeks.With leaf maturity and the onset of flowering, leaves are Green group,139-A and CIE 0.292, 0.400, 6.4. to Green group 139-B and CIE 0.311,0.417, 16.0 with only faint traces of earlier crimson color. When newgrowth occurs during summer, leaves are crimson, 187-A and CIE 0.410,0.298, 3.4, only until they reach mature size, which is a much shortertime relative to spring. Foliage color varies with light intensity andgrowing conditions. Foliage has been very resistant to powdery mildew.Mature leaves are thick and leathery and larger than the speciesaverage.

[0020] Flowers: Blades of Individual petals (expanded apical portion)are white, white group 155-D and CIE 0.319, 0.330, 88.6, with transitionto light crimson, greyed-purple group 185-C and CIE 0.417, 0.293, 16.7,at the claw (the narrowed stalk-like basal portion of the petal) duringthe summer and early fall. In late fall after temperatures have droppedto near the freezing point and light intensity is low, any late openingflowers are a faint pink, approx. greyed-purple group 186-D and CIE0.344, 0.298, 44.9. Flower petals open fully, exposing distinct yellowstamens. (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). As the flowers age they typically fallcleanly from the inflorescence without discoloring or becomingunattractive. Unopened flower buds are variable, slight crimson on sidesexposed to direct light and mostly light green on shaded sides, withdistinct crimson margins of the bud scales, greyed-purple group 187-Band CIE 0.479, 0.296, 5.1 (FIG. 3). Inflorescences are panicles 4 to 14inches tall and 4 to 12 inches wide (FIG. 1). The stocks ofinflorescences exposed to full sun are crimson, greyed-purple group,187-A and CIE 0.410, 0.298, 3.4. The new variety begins flowering inJuly and continues into October in North Central Oklahoma. Thisflowering period is longer than most seedlings and cultivars ofcrapemyrtle. Flowering continues during periods of intense and prolongedheat as long as moisture is available. The plant is semi-sterile whichappears to make the blooms last longer than is typical of L. indicaspecies. As with other crapemyrtle plants, blooms each have six petalsper bloom. Bloom diameter varies with environmental conditions. Becausethe plant is semi-sterile, few viable seeds are produced. The seed podsthat form are typical of L. indica species.

[0021] Cold Hardiness: The new variety of crapemyrtle has withstoodtemperatures of 0° F. with no injury. The top of the parent as well asasexually propagated offspring were killed in October 2000 when, onOctober 3, the temperature was 92° F., then on October 9, dropped to 23°F. With the arrival of spring 2001, all plants produced vigorous growthand were flowering by early July. This was a distinct contrast to manyother seedlings under evaluation that were killed entirely or were veryslow to recover from the cold injury.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of crapemyrtle plant,substantially as illustrated and described.